Small Car Recommendations-Car Bought :)

[flyingdumbo127]

I would appreciate some small car recommendations. I am needing to get a new car. I sold my 26 year old, yes you read that right, Corolla yesterday. I am used to that older style shape to cars which I know is no longer being made! To me for example the newer Corollas are huge as are the Chevy Cruze. I would prefer sedan to hatchback and I know that makes the search harder. I did see a cute Chevy Spark yesterday (only comes as a hatch) and for me the trunk was heavy and hard to open/close. I did see a Chevy Sonic sedan which I loved, bright color, but not sure it really was all that small. One of the size issues is parking where I live but also in newer cars some of them have high headrests that to me disrupt visibility. I have found out some of those can be removed.

First and foremost the car needs to be safe and reliable and also an automatic. A close second, is it must have a wonderful air conditioner! That is something I will not miss at all about my old car!

For an idea, in Googling, I came across the Chevy Aveo that stopped being made in 2011. To me that is the size/shape I'd love to find. http://imganuncios.mitula.net/2011_...china_lake_california_7720004437681862522.jpg

Thank you!

 

[wishesuponastar]

Can't say enough good things about Honda Civic. My hubby is on his second one. First one he had for 11 yrs, 250,000 miles until someone totaled it. He replaced it with a 2015 Civic..

 

[belle1986]

Can't say enough good things about Honda Civic. My hubby is on his second one. First one he had for 11 yrs, 250,000 miles until someone totaled it. He replaced it with a 2015 Civic..

Another civic vote here. I plan on passing mine down to dd when she begins driving in 10 years. Lol

 

[xlxo]

I would appreciate some small car recommendations. I am needing to get a new car. I sold my 26 year old, yes you read that right, Corolla yesterday.

To clarify.... is there a lot of stop and go city driving? Love my Prius V. While the Prius C hybrid is a hatchback.... you will get excellent fuel economy when stuck in traffic lights. Love being able to creep along for a mile without gas in slow traffic.

The regular 2016 Prius looks less like a hatchback with the shark design...

I went with the Prius V for more cargo capacity... wheelchair? bike?

 

[VandVsmama]

We have owned small Hondas for many years and have found them to be VERY reliable vehicles. We pretty much only had to do normal maintenance on them. Had a Kia once and when it hit 100,000 miles, the repair bills got to be very expensive. We won't get a Kia again.

We don't care for American made cars because they tend to become money pits once you hit the magical 100k mark. Our Geo Storm was a total lemon.

 

[jennasmommyinMS]

I bought a new Corolla last July, and I couldn't be happier with it. It seems pretty compact to me, but I had a minivan until I bought my car. Back in 1985 I had a Nissan Sentra, and my Corolla seems like about the same size as that car (I hated that Sentra!).

Here's my baby:

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Wishesuponastar, I have heard wonderful things about Hondas and at least one dear relative of mine has one. I did look at the Honda Fit for smaller but it like the Spark is only a Hatchback.

Belle1986, that is sweet you plan on passing down your car to your daughter. My corolla was my Grandma's

xlxo, yep! I live in LA. I don't drive all that much and not so often on freeways, mostly streets. My longest regular drive right now a few times weekly is 20-25 minutes to Church.

Editing to add thanks to vandvsmama, I didn't see your reply before I hit post. So glad you have had positive Honda experiences. I heard that about 100,000 mark and that Kias can be iffy.

Hi to you also JennasmommyinMS and thanks, also. Congrats on your Corolla! I know I'm being problematic , but to me that is big. I also know that just looking at a car is not the same as taking it for a test drive which thankfully is always free to do.

Over the next two weeks I want to narrow down to a few specific cars new or used, probably leaning more to new just because of payment options, and then ideally they'd be offered at more of a discount over Memorial Day weekend. Keep suggestions coming and again thank you so much.

 

[PlutoPony]

We have been very happy with our son's Ford Focus. It's a touch smaller than the Malibu but may still be bigger than you want. They do make it in a sedan as well as the hatchback. Mazda 3 also gets pretty good reviews and comes in a 4 door. VW Golf might be good - they are very well thought of, fun to drive, and you should be able to get a really good deal on them right now. Nissan Versa and Hyundai Accent are other options. Check out Edmunds.com to get more info on the different makes/models.

 

[luvwinnie]

Love my Fiat 500x

 

[cabanafrau]

I would recommend you pay plenty of attention to the quality ratings versus simply the micro size. For example, many of the micro GM models you've mentioned have horrid quality issues.

 

[tvguy]

Take a look at a Ford Fiesta, that may be the size you like.

 

[cabanafrau]

Take a look at a Ford Fiesta, that may be the size you like.

I didn't even realize they made those anymore. Hopefully they do a better job than the old ones. Had a loaner once, felt like it was powered by a couple of mice riding bicycles under the hood.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Ford Fiesta, Honda Fit, or Chevy Sonic would probably fit the bill about as good as anything. Focus is a little bigger, but doesn't "feel" as large as the Cruze, Corolla, or Civic due to the shape & all the glass. That said, the Focus also has some issues with the "automatic" transmission (actually a dual-clutch setup), but there are GREAT deals to be had on these.

 

[ravenclawtrekkie]

I drive a hatchback Toyota Yaris and I love it, but they do make it in a sedan version. I never carry passengers and rarely carry cargo so the 3-door hatchback was a fine option for me.

 

[piglet too]

I know you mentioned the Chevy Sonic, just wanted to say my son has had his got four years and he loves it. While it may be a smaller car, it still feels roomy inside.

 

[ahutton]

You might check the Nissan Versa - they offer a sedan model and it's smaller than the Sentra. Mini Coopers and Fiats are really cute and the Mini is fun to drive but those are also hatchbacks. Mazda makes a 3, but not sure it comes in a sedan but we've loved our Mazda.

 

[Shutterbug]

So you really want a small small car. As mentioned above you could get a good deal on a Ford Fiesta. If you want something a lil bigger then I would suggest a Mazda 3. My brother just got a deeply discounted Sonic (last years model and it was a sedan) though after the recalls that Chevy has had and the major cover up of the ignition defect I myself would have to think long and hard before I ever bought a chevy.

 

[xlxo]

Is the desire for small size because of parking? Look for vehicles with a backup camera.

Some vehicles now have front and side cameras for additional parking ease. I want this on my next vehicle.

 

[lakelandgal70]

My hubby had a brand new Fiesta the first year they came out here in the states and we loved it. He traded it in for Prius when he had to commute farther for work. I traded in my truck for a Nissan Versa Note and love my little car. I researched for months before deciding on a car that would be good fit for me. Just make sure you research and check reviews for what type of vehicle you want.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Wow! So very much thanks to all of you for taking care and time to reply and so thoughtfully. I really appreciate it!

PlutoPony, cool username , I think price-wise the Ford Fiesta would be more in line to where I was than the Focus. I will go to a Ford dealer and check out both. I did look up VW Golf and also thought it was cute. VW’s are also more expensive. I have looked at Edmunds a little and will need to more carefully.

Luvwinnie, is that a sporty car or just (to me) has a sporty name? I am glad you enjoy yours!

Cabanafrau, thank you! I do know that what matters first and foremost is safety and reliability. When I sold my old Corolla the salesman explained to me that the reason cars today are made differently (more rounded and higher up) than my 1990 was indeed for safety! I have driven that car now since 2001 so it’s more of what I was used to type thing. P.S. Just read your extra post and the mice, I take it were not Mickey and Minnie? If the car is sluggish that is not a good thing. The last week or so of my old car, especially when first driving it in the morning, it could be very sluggish and not happy about moving so definitely am after a much smoother and safer ride.

Tvguy, I am planning to look at the Fiesta, thanks.

Thanks, Gumbo 4X4. What is funny is when I first saw a Chevy Sonic at Carmax it was a bright red 2014. I later that day saw a silver 2016 at a Chevy dealer. I truly thought the red was smaller! Granted, I would ideally love a bright red car and so that could be why but seriously I did at Carmax try out a few similar vehicles and some of them did feel bigger or smaller so I know what you mean. I need to become familiar with the recalls that was something I never needed to be concerned about with my 26 year old car! I know my dad has a 2009 corolla that had many recalls on it.
I like your tree picture, ravenclawtrekkie, I haven’t yet gone to Toyota. I keep hearing that they and Hondas are for super reliability the way to go.

Piglet too, I’m so glad to hear that about your son’s sonic. What color is his? I really loved the look of it and to me it was smaller than some of the others. The one I looked at a Carmax was used and had belonged to a smoker (it reeked of cigarettes) and that is a no for me. I think I mentioned this above but my first car was my Grandpa’s Chevy Nova. I really liked that car and so had good experiences with that Chevy.

Ahutton, those were both options too, especially the Versa. I’m not much of a car person but will be doing a lot of car shopping and reading up on next couple weeks, and it is interesting to look and test drive

Shutterbug, I did not know that about Chevy. I would prefer a smaller car. How does your brother like his sonic?

Xlxo, at carmax, they showed me that some of the cars had a back- up camera! I had never heard of that! My preference for smaller car in terms of parking is that the parking garage area to the building I live in is small and has narrow spaces. There’s also not a ton of maneuvering room. The bigger truth/reason is as I said I drove the 1990 Corolla for 15 years! I just got so used to that and the smaller shape and size. I wouldn’t be hauling anything really or having lots of cargo so don’t need a hatch for the extra space. I did think the sonic had lots of trunk space.

Thank you, lakelandgal70. I can be a visual person and so am going to try next few days to go in person see some cars (while still doing research) but that and also test driving them, which I have not done yet on any of them because my focus had been on making a decision on my old car, needs to come next and that way I’ll know what I feel comfortable with.

Thank you hug to everyone and I wish you a Blessed Monday

P.S. I pray I did not forget to say thank you to anyone!